Mining worker certification pioneers receive the Canadian Institute of Mining
Distinguished Lecturer Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA (May 24, 2011) – Last night the mining industry recognized the achievements of two
mining industry members as they received the CIM Distinguished Lecturer Award for “... their
leadership and outstanding contributions in the development of the Canadian mining industry’s
first national worker certification program for underground miners, open pit miners and minerals
processing operators.”
CIM Distinguished Lecturers are chosen on the basis of their accomplishments in scientific,
technical, management or educational activities related to the minerals industry, and speak at
CIM Branch meetings across the country.
Development of mining worker Certification, as part of the Canadian Mining Credentials
Program, began six years ago in direct response to a need for skills recognition and mobility of
the mining workforce. Jim Utley, Vice President, Human Resources for Teck Resources Limited
and Co-Chair of the CMCP Steering Committee and Barbara Kirby, Senior Director, Workforce
Development for the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR), led the program since
its inception and their joint Distinguished Lecturer award reflects their achievements in bringing
this program to the mining industry.
As Distinguished Lecturers, Kirby and Utley will present on the Canadian Mining Credentials
Program and the importance of a nationally-recognized skills recognition and certification
program for the mining industry. The latest research report distributed by the Mining Industry
Human Resources (MiHR) Council estimates that between now and 2020 the industry will need
to hire approximately 100,000 workers to both support growth in the industry and replace retiring
workers.
Approximately 20 per cent of these new hires will be required in skilled occupations that have up
until had now lacked a national recognition system, including production miners, development
miners, heavy equipment operators and mill operators. The Canadian Mining Credentials
Program will change this through the recognition of skills and competencies, worker mobility and
the creation of consistent, quality training for the mining and minerals exploration industry in
Canada.
The Lecture series will also touch on the complex collaborative effort required to bring this
program to fruition, key observations from the pilot sites and why the program forms an
essential part of the industry strategy to address the looming labour shortage. The credentials
program, six years in development, will not only positively impact the dynamics of worker
mobility and recognition, but will now form the basis for certifying other unrecognized
occupations, as prioritized by industry.
CIM Distinguished Lecturers can be booked through the CIM website www.cim.org
ENDS
Notes to editors
Barbara Kirby Biography
Barbara Kirby is the Senior Director of Workforce Development, at the Mining Industry Human
Resources Council (MiHR) where she leads key initiatives which contribute to the skills
recognition and mobility of Canadian mining workers.
She has authored numerous articles on skills, learning and mobility in the Canadian mining
industry and is sought out as a key speaker on related events. In addition to her work on the
credentials program she has also helped to develop a reliable and robust mining labour market
information system for the industry.
Formerly the Manager of Accreditation and Certification at the Canadian Aviation Maintenance
Council, Kirby holds a master's degree in Economics from the University of Guelph. She has
over 20 years of experience in Canada and abroad, including Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines,
Ghana, Botswana, India, Nepal, and Jordan.
Jim Utley Biography
Jim Utley has been Vice President, Human Resources of Teck Resources Limited since 1998.
He joined Cominco Limited in 1991 as Manager of Human Resources for Trail Operations.
Prior to joining Teck, Mr. Utley held senior human resource and industrial relations positions in
Alberta and British Columbia. This included Director, Employee Relations at Telus and
Industrial Relations Manager at Rio Tinto Alcan’s Kingston plant.
Mr. Utley holds a Bachelors of Arts in Commerce and Economics from Simon Fraser University
and an Associate in Arts Diploma from Douglas College.
He is currently a member of the Salvation Army Vancouver Advisory Board and the Belkin
House Community Council. Additionally, Mr. Utley is a member of the Douglas College Board
of Directors. In September, he will become a Vice Chair of the College Board. From 2003 to
2008 Mr. Utley served on the Board of the Industry Training Authority of B.C.
About the Canadian Mining Credentials Program
The Canadian Mining Credentials Program is the cornerstone of the mining industry's efforts to
recognize the skills, knowledge and experience of mining workers, provide workers with
portable credentials, accredit training programs for mining workers and enable employers to
accurately and consistently verify the skills and experience of job applicants and support
ongoing professional recognition for their employees.
The program is founded on a set of mining industry National Occupational Standards. So far,
National Occupational Standards have been developed for four key mining occupational areas:
Underground Mining, Surface Mining, Minerals Processing and Diamond Drilling.
The National Occupational Standards provide the basis for the certification program. The first of
its kind in Canada, the certification program assesses the skills of mining industry workers and
provides these workers with portable credentials based on their experience and competency
levels. Credentials earned through the system provide employers with a valuable tool with which
to verify the skills of workers coming from different regions of Canada. Equally important, the
certification enables mining workers to access employment opportunities across the country by
providing them with an industry-based portable credential.
About the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR)
MiHR is the sector council for Canada’s minerals and metals industry. MiHR contributes to the
strength, competiveness and sustainability of the Canadian mining industry by collaborating with
all communities of interest in the development and implementation of solutions to the industry’s
national HR challenges. For more information, visit www.mihr.ca.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program.
For more information contact:
Lindsay Forcellini
Marketing & Communications Coordinator, MiHR
(613) 270-9696 x 58
lforcellini@mihr.ca